Adapted from Winter Adventure by Peter Stark

The most common snowboard traumas involve upper extremities and include sprained wrists, thumbs, and fingers, all usually caused by catching yourself with your open hands when you fall. One way to help avoid hand injuries is to form a fist as you go down; wearing thick padded mittens is prudent. Some boarders also don knee pads, and during the learning process, rear-end padding will also reduce bruising.

A freestyle binding designed to comfortably
fit many styles of soft boots and
provide unhindered freestyle mobility.

All boards come with a leash that you clip around one leg—to prevent the board from running downhill without you—and a"stomp plate." This consists of a friction pad that sits between the front and back bindings. When on the flats or getting on or off a lift, boarders propel themselves by removing the rear foot from its binding and pushing along with it as you would on a skateboard. The stomp plate is where you place that tree foot where you glide downhill (as off a chairlift ramp) for a short distance.

Move on to Heading Up, Boarding Down

Take Off for a Snowsports Adventure—Today! Boarder Heaven - Check out our first-class lodges and inns, all over the world. Shred Some Snow - Learn to snowboard, or get out there and cruise the mountains.

---

Winter Adventure is available from the Adventurous Traveler Bookstore. Click here to order! Click here to visit Trailside

---

RELATED GORP LINKS
Ski & Snow Page
Snowboarding Regional Guide
GORPtravel